It’s been quite incomprehensible to most people of the world how Trump has maintained his supporters in spite of his business failures and bankruptcies, non-payment of debts and contractors, bullying, rape and sexual assault, obstruction of justice, denial of realities of the world, (diplomatic, climactic, pandemic), constant lying and misrepresentations, his disdain for the sacrifices of military personal and American workers, not to mention his betrayal of legal and constitutional principles and everything held dear by basic decency. And then there are his characterological defects in the form of malignant narcissism, obvious racism, religious bigotry, allergy to the truth, inability to accept responsibility for his actions, catering to dictators and oligarchs, and his strange obsession with President Obama.
it’s easy to make this prancing president a target because of his many shortcomings including, but not limited to, misogyny; religious, racial, and gender bigotry; pervasive corruption; general immorality; persistent lies; destruction of the environment; and being a horrible role model for our children. He is certainly deserving of being a target. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that he is, at the same time, the visible manifestation of social illnesses that have remained hidden in large segments of our society, and the willing of much of that society to turn a blind eye toward institutionalized struggles for power rather than service. Furthermore, he is aided and abetted by his Republican compatriots, propaganda machines, and some media outlets.
He bluntly told us all early on: he could shoot someone in broad daylight on Fifth Avenue and wouldn’t lose a single voter. He knows his audience and is counting on a certain kind of person for his support.
In my first blogs in January and February of 2018, I noted that this garish man had become a voice for people who felt they hadn’t had one. They see “their” America diluted or threatened by change; nor are they aware of the benefits provided to them by existing structures. I noted the stressful impact Trump’s rise to power had on people’s mental health – especially those who had been assaulted or bullied. It was his character that shook the national psyche, along with the number of people willing to endorse it – and mental health professionals raised the question of his fitness for office.
So, what can we say about his supporters? Some are quite serious and sincere in wanting something – anything – different from what has gone before; someone who will shake things up, regardless of the outcome. Some are predatory opportunists who see their chance to profit from his actions. Others want to see policies that are more “business-friendly” (at least to large corporations) regardless of the cost to ordinary citizens, the environment, or small businesses. Some share his bigotry, misogyny, racism, and toxic masculinity. And, of course, there are the stereotyped ignorant and gullible shills with unresolved personal issues who are easily fooled by propaganda, hoaxed memes, and social media rumors. Most of his supporters operate under the banner of a patriotic, capitalist “conservatism.” (I addressed this pseudo-conservatism in my previous blog.) Traditional conservatives can see the damage being done to Constitutional principles, economic health, democratic checks and balances, and deeply held values – but largely remain quiet.
To his followers, his narcissistic sociopathic bullying nature is not a problem because he is their bully. Larger principles no longer matter. The fact of his strong bullying makes him the worthy champion of their cause. Thus, we see the emergence of people who have been quietly on the fringe of our politics – white nationalist racists, corporate and private deniers of scientific realities, poisoners of the land, and the breathtakingly demented advocates of conspiracy theories.
Even evangelical Christian groups have come under his thrall. They justify his policies and prejudices and his evident disregard for anything religious because of an imagined shared goal, unaware that they are being played for fools. He may have character deficits but, again, he is their bully, too. However, the dishonesty of such a position is obvious because we hear little or no criticism of his character or his treatment of humanity. It’s as though they have traded their traditional values for a devil’s bargain in a great power game.
Recent research has shown that his followers tend to be less educated, authoritarian oriented. They look to a strong central authority for their security and direction. Other research has shown that these Republican “conservatives” have different brain development that inclines them toward exaggerated fear reactions. Thus, they are more likely to see threats where there may be none, and be gullible to conspiracy theories to justify their distrust of anything that does not reinforce their anxiety defenses.
Donald Trump has an instinct for activating and affirming others’ greed and discontent. This has been the basic method of operation in his various confidence schemes: getting others to believe he offers them a shortcut out of their lack with promised advantages. He offers an appealing investment with a promised return that he then keeps for himself. It’s the old con game that depends on another’s’ need, greed, and gullibility.
He has been accused of engineering a cult, surrounding himself only with those who agree with and cater to him, and he operates on impulse rather than principles so there is no shared vision. People in his circle are afraid to take issue with him because they’ve seen what happens to those who do. Dogma and ideology replace research and reality. Authoritarian and arbitrary decisions replace consultation and consent. All attention gets focused not on problems and solutions, not on principles and goals, but on one solitary figure and his needs, desires, and approval. It is an infantile and dysfunctional way of life where all become caretakers of the Dear Leader’s mood and approval. Disagreements are not treated as other perspectives but as betrayal. Loyalty to the Dear Leader has become the prime value. Those found “false” are labeled as traitors to the cause (which is never totally clear – except to please the Dear Leader). Distrust is fostered against all who do not come into the fold, and hatred against any who voice opposition to it. In fact, such cult-like groups need a designated enemy to maintain their identity, unity, and rationalizations. We can see how they jump to respond on social media with denials and derogatory labels for anyone who disagrees with them. They need an enemy because, if they stop fighting, they might ask difficult questions.
Donald Trump’s diagnosable character defects have been well-documented in professional circles. What’s more, some observers have called into question the mental status of his followers, but I think they are as much victims as anyone else. They may, indeed, be delusional, short-sighted, self-sabotaging, and willfully ignorant, but that does not necessarily make them mentally ill. This does, however, help cement the bond between the Dear Leader and his devoted loyal circle. They are made impervious to information from the “outside,” rendered incapable of self-reflection, and their vision truncated, unable to see the fruits of their actions. Nor are they allowed abstract thinking that would break the enchantment of the Dear Leader’s fascist tendencies and, instead, project them onto everyone else, making “others” a threat or an “enemy of the people.”
His is not the only cult-like group in politics, to be sure. There are others who have lost any perspective that we have a choice between two visions of the world and our place in it. These folks, too, have focused on a particular cause or figure, and conform to their dogma. They often come with good intentions and disdain for the faults of both major parties, but also with a judgmental moral superiority. They can be found in third parties, so-called “independents” and in religious organizations. However, the nuances of character, perspective, potential effectiveness, and outcomes are sacrificed in the name of their ideological purity. Compromise that could move things forward to some degree is still a betrayal of their secular fundamentalism.
Members of all cult-like movements are given the thoughts they are allowed to think by meme-generating propaganda machines, but thinking is not promoted. That is to say, there is a significant difference between having thoughts, on the one hand, and thinking on the other. A thought is an idea. Thinking is a process of examining ideas, checking their validity and relationship to other ideas, their place in the larger perspective of other thoughts, and their applications and outcomes. This is work! Thoughts are cheap, easy, and profitable, while thinking requires effort, courage, and honesty.
So, what is to be done about these emotionally charged, information-allergic supporters of a sociopathic narcissist? As long as they have a powerful leader who promises salvation from their felt victimization, I doubt there is much to be done directly. The cult, along with their personal needs, has made them impervious to transformative evidence that would shatter their sense of self and the narrative on which they depend for their personal value.
At the moment, because they lack any capacity for conversation, containment of their destructive inclinations may be the most effective course of action, along with minimizing the damage as much as possible. Confrontation may appear fruitless and frustrating, but I think there are truths still worth stating.
It may help the remember, too, (especially when we encounter these people online or in life) that we are not just observers to a phenomenon. They are not an isolated element existing without connection to their world, to the real world, and to us. We are part of it. That is, we are in relationship with them. We can see this when we are provoked by something we hear or see online to react. I’m not saying we shouldn’t react, but that, if we do not act in line with our deep values, we have become an agent of their defenses. To paraphrase Aristotle: it’s easy to become angry, but to be angry in an effective way that moves the discussion forward is not so easy. My exploration of the relational aspects of dealing with Trumpian supporters would make this blog too long so it’ll come on another day.
In the long term, our best bet rests not only on voting them out of power now, but also challenging their enablers, legally pursuing those who have broken the law, persistently confronting their lies and misinformation, pressuring legislators to take responsibility, and promoting education about the realities of the world. Perhaps this can be summed up in accountability, transparency, and education.
Note: I did not invent the term “Cult 45.” It has been used to describe our current predicament in academic papers, Pinterest boards, and music for several years now.